Defending champion Lahore Qalandars have recorded a shocking one-run win in opposition to Multan Sultans on the final ball of the ultimate to win the Pakistan Tremendous League and grow to be the primary staff to retain the title.
Needing 4 runs off the final supply – bowled by Zaman Khan – Khusdil Shah was run out whereas going for the third run to stage Lahore’s whole of 6-200 as Multan completed at 8-199.
Shaheen Shah Afridi’s sensible all-round efficiency propelled Lahore to a robust whole with a belligerent 44 not out off simply 15 balls, and the left-arm pacer then picked up 4 wickets within the loss of life overs to complete with 4-51.
Khushdil and Abbas Afridi (17 not out) smacked quick bowler Haris Rauf for 22 runs within the penultimate over earlier than Zaman stored his nerve in entrance of 25,000 followers to provide the house staff victory.
“It was troublesome early on because the momentum swung within the ultimate,” Afridi mentioned. “We stored our nerves and succeeded to win essential moments within the sport.”
Each groups additionally performed in final yr’s ultimate, and Lahore started with a one-run win in opposition to Multan within the opening sport of this yr’s match. Multan had overwhelmed Lahore within the qualifier earlier than Lahore beat Peshawar Zalmi of their elimination sport.
Multan’s top-order batters did not get slowed down in opposition to a star-studded Lahore bowling lineup as captain Mohammad Rizwan (34) and Usman Khan (18) plundered Afridi for 34 runs in his first two overs.
Rizwan, who completed the match because the top-scorer with 550 runs in 12 video games, and Rilee Rossouw (52 in 32) then mixed in a 64-run stand off 42 balls earlier than ace leg-spinner Rashid Khan (2-26) dismissed each batters.
Rizwan was brilliantly snapped by David Wiese at long-on boundary after which Rossouw chopped Rashid’s turning ball again onto his stumps.
Afridi returned and received the massive wickets of Kieron Pollard (19) and Australia’s Tim David (20) earlier than ending off his spell by eradicating Anwar Ali and Usama Mir off his final two balls.
Multan introduced down the goal to eight off the ultimate two deliveries. Khushdil lofted Zaman over additional covers for a boundary off the penultimate ball however couldn’t take Multan over the road within the ultimate supply.
Earlier, Afridi adopted the profitable template of Lahore to bat first.
Abdullah Shafique made a dangerous 65 off 40 balls when Pollard could not grasp a return catch earlier than the batter had scored, and Afridi confirmed his batting prowess by hitting 5 sixes and two fours, after leg-spinner Usama Mir (3-24) picked up three fast wickets and Lahore had stumbled to 5-112 within the 15th over.
Multan’s high two wicket-takers within the match – Abbas Afridi and Ihsanullah – had been smashed for 49 runs in three overs within the loss of life overs as Afridi’s blistering knock allowed Lahore so as to add 71 runs off the final 4 overs.
Abbas Afridi topped the bowling charts with 23 wickets within the match.
